Changing Worlds
by Miss Peg
Summary: It's the summer before their third year in college and Carmen isn't going back to finish college, but why?.
1. Prologue

**AN: This is my first Sisterhood fanfiction, so bare with me and I hope it's okay. This first chapter is kind of short and others may be short too, but then again there may be longer ones also. It might take me a little bit of time to get into the story. So again, please bare with me. Thanks.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, though some future characters may be ones I have created. I respect that the majority of them were created by Ann Brashares for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series.**

**Prologue**

We all gathered at Gilda's, a routine we'd found to have stayed that way for the past five years. It was the summer between our second and third years in college. Though we spent most of the year apart, that summer tradition was kept like an old teddy you loved so much as a child, but could never throw away as an adult.

Lena, who had spent the last two years studying art at RISD, was visiting Europe; the cities of Paris, Rome and Athens, where her art class was to study the greats for the summer. Her boyfriend, Timothy, who was in all of her classes, was also going along. They'd only been together for six months, but they were serious about each other.

Tibby was back home for the summer; she had a job, working at a summer school for the local school children. They were to make a film about their life in Bethesda and as a kid growing up there herself; they offered her the position of director. Of course, Tibby being Tibby, she found something wrong with the job on her first day. Not only was the producer a "complete idiot", but he also "has no clue about film making."

Bridget was home too. After two years at Brown she finished her coaching course. On the first day back in Maryland, she was all set up with a job coaching for an under eighteens soccer league team called the Bethesda Bugs.

Carmen was going to South Carolina again to visit her dad and step family, they were planning on taking a trip to California as a family once more before Krista went off to college. Her mom, step dad and little brother were taking a trip up to New York for a couple of weeks, at which Carmen was supposed to be going with them, but the trip to California meant that she could not.

As the evening ending, honouring the pants and the summer had begun. I packed the pants into my bag and followed Lena, Tibby and Bridget out.

"I'm gonna miss you guys." I told them and we hugged each other for a moment.

"It's only going to be two weeks." Lenny laughed.

"The only two weeks you'll have until the end of the summer." I whispered, clinging to her for a moment longer.

"We'll see each other soon." Lena promised as the four of us jumped into Bridget's jeep. A few minutes later and I hopped out again.

"I'll see you guys in a couple of weeks."

"Have a nice flight! Take Care, don't get too sunburnt." They all screamed at me as I shut the door and walked up to the house. I waved my hand and walked inside.


	2. Summer's Beginning

**Summer's Beginning**

**South Carolina**

"I'll see you in two weeks. Give my love to David and give Ryan a big kiss from me. I love you too mom."

Carmen replaced the handset of the phone at her father's house, tears pricking her eyes. She'd spent months away from her family yet it didn't get any easier being away from them.

"Is everything alright Carmen?" Al asked, entering the kitchen. She nodded, allowing her father to envelope her into a hug.

"I'm okay; I'm just missing mom and Ryan."

"Not David?"

"Oh, him too. I wish I could have gone with them to New York."

"It's okay Carmen, they'll be back soon and so will you. Maybe the four of you can take a trip together later on in the summer."

"I'll be working then."

"Look, you should go get some rest before the flight. I'll wake you before we have to leave."

"Thanks." She muttered, walking towards the door. She stopped and turned to face her dad.

"I am looking forward to our trip to California, it'll be good."

With a shared smile, Carmen left the room.

**Bethesda**

"He's such an idiot; I don't know how I'm going to survive the rest of the summer with this guy." Bridget and Lena couldn't help but laugh. "I'm serious, guys; he's a complete waste of space."

"Tibs, you think all guys are a waste of space." Bridget rolled her eyes.

"All people." Lena whispered, then turned away.

"I do not!" she froze for a moment, looking down at her toes, then looked up again. "Okay, I guess I do."

"You know you get like this every year, it's time to dig out the video." Bridget announced.

"No, not again." She mumbled.

"Bee's right, Bailey taught you a lesson and now it's time for you to relearn what she taught you."

"Alright!" Tibby relented, opening a drawer and taking out a cassette. She pushed it into her camera, attached it to the computer and pressed play.

Bailey's face appeared on the screen instantly, music intertwining with the numerous images of a girl years younger than the one Tibby knew. But in her short life, there were only so many photos to be taken and they quickly turned into images she took. A hand tugged on her heart as they always did when she watched the video. Bridget and Lena stared at her, her face turning red with the stream of tears flowing from her face.

"It's been almost four year's guys." Tibby managed to say through the river, Bridget and Lena jumped on her and held her as she sobbed into their arms.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, wiping her face as the ending music played out with one final image of Bailey on screen. It had been her favourite.

"Don't be." Bridget assured her, kissing her cheek and pushing the wet strands of hair from her eyes.

"Just seeing the video of Bailey reminds me of the fact she's not here anymore."

"That's understandable; it's a beautiful video Tibs."

"I don't want you to go away for a month Lenny." Tibby sighed, taking hold of her friend and sobbing even more into the nape of her neck.

"Sorry Tibs, but I can't miss out."

"I know." She whispered, pulling away. "I don't know what's come over me." She laughed, pulling herself together.

Lena and Bridget watched her; Tibby's strength when it came to watching the video of Bailey was nothing short of an Elephant standing on a plate of jelly. She just fell to bits.

"We've still got almost two weeks together." Lena muttered, holding onto her friend again.

"Yes." She nodded, pulling away. "I think I should get some sleep, I'm tired." She stated. Both girls nodded and smiled; with quick goodbyes they left the room. Tibby smiled as she watched them walk down the hall towards the stairs. She curled up on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

**San Francisco, California**

The plane landed in San Francisco, California and Carmen and her family caught a cab to the hotel.

"Oh My Gawd." Krista squealed, pushing the door to the hotel room open. Carmen followed her into the five star twin room, her mouth opening in shock.

"This is amazing!" Krista said loudly, opening the mini-bar and pulling out a bottle of alcohol.

"Not a chance." Carmen laughed, taking the bottle and placing it back in the fridge. "Not only are you underage, but these things cost a packet." Krista scowled, then quickly became distracted by the size of the bathroom, with floor to ceiling mirrors.

Kicking off her shoes, Carmen allowed herself to fall backwards onto one of the beds and stare at the chandelier on the ceiling.

"This is going to bed the best summer!"


	3. The Longest Day

**The Longest Day**

**California**

Day three of Carmen's holiday and it had become less of the family holiday that Al and Lydia had wanted. Carmen and her step-siblings had spent their time exploring the town, whilst Lydia and Al had explored the hotel facilities. Finally regrouping, they planned a day of fun at a water park. Analysing herself in the mirror, Carmen felt at ease with her appearance. After spending a year around mature adults who didn't care if you were the size of an elephant, she'd grown accustomed to viewing her butt with admiration. Over the last year any remaining puppy fat fell off to give her a "human" body. Though it would never be the stick that most supermodels have, it was good enough for her.

**Bethesda**

"Carmen is totally missing out!" Bridget announced, whilst filling her face with pizza and fries.

"Are you kidding? She's in Hollywood!" Len grinned. Tibby rolled her eyes and began to speak.

"That place is for…"

"People like you?" Bee muttered.

"I was about to say, it's for Barbie doll clones and mass produced movies. I do not make the crap you find out there."

Lena and Bridget rolled their eyes as Tibby went into a lecture about movies.

"How about you fill your hole with pizza and watch this movie, instead of tearing it to shreds before it's even begun?" Bee suggested, pushing a slice of pizza at Tibby's face. She ducked, causing it to go all over the top of her head.

"Oh, you are so dead!" she screamed, picking up a handful of fries and mashing them into Bridget's mouth.

"Yum!" Bee grinned, pulling the fries into her mouth with her tongue.

"You guys are disgusting." Lena laughed.

"Oh we are, are we?" Tibby asked, glancing at Bridget. A nod from Bee and they both picked up a bowl full of popcorn and tipped it over Lena's head.

**California**

Paul dived into one of the pools at the park, his silence as always speaking more than his words. He'd barely said two words to Carmen since she'd arrived. Krista squealed as water splashed her and Carmen from all angles, Carmen laughed, quickly joined by Krista. Al and Lydia sat down, handing Carmen a cherry popsicle.

"Thanks." She smiled, wrapping her lips around the melting popsicle. She glanced behind them as a uniformed police officer joined them.

"Excuse me, are you Carmen Lowell?" he asked, standing directly in front of her.

"Err, yes." She whispered a cold draught between them.

"Is everything okay officer?" Al asked, placing an arm around his daughter's shoulder.

"And you are?"

"Al Lowell, I'm Carmen's father." He announced, holding a hand out for him to shake.

"Right. Mr Lowell, Miss Lowell, if you'd like to sit down, I need to talk to you both."

**Bethesda**

"Tibby!" her mom's voice shouted up the stairs, quickly followed by her footsteps. She pushed the door open, her face reddening.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Tibby asked, standing up, pizza still in her hair. She placed a hand on her mother's shoulder.

"Oh Tibby." She muttered, looking past her daughter at Lena and Bridget. "Lena, Bridget." She whispered.

"Mom, what's going on? Why are you crying?"

"C…I…I'm sorry." She sobbed, giving in to the overwhelming amount of tears. Tibby took her mother into her arms and held her. She glanced at Lenny and Bee, who were looking at her puzzled, she shrugged, worriedly.

**California**

The police station was small and stuffy. Al stroked his daughter's hand, a thick silence stifling the air.

"There is a flight in an hour." an officer at the desk announced, a sympathetic smile spread across his face. Carmen nodded her cheeks still red from a dried string of tears.

"Would you like me to come to New York with you?" Al asked, making Carmen shift about in her seat, her hand unlatching from his grasp.

"I'm old enough to cope." She muttered, but the words didn't seem come for her mouth.

Al nodded and stroked his daughter's hair from her face; he was worried about her, naturally. But if she didn't want his help, then he would have to deal with that.

**New York**

"Ryan!" Carmen shouted, pulling her twenty month old brother into her arms.

"car." He sighed, letting his head rest on her shoulder, his fingers twisting through her wavy hair.

"Is he okay?" she asked the doctor in front of them.

"He seems to be fine. He has fractured his wrist, so he will need regular check ups at your local hospital. They will remove the cast in a few weeks time. It's best that you keep an eye on him, he may show signs of shock in the coming hours."

Carmen nodded her head, but couldn't remember what he'd told her a moment later.

"Your step father will be transferred to Bethesda Memorial in the next week or so. In the meantime, you are free to take your brother home."

Carmen nodded again, words lost in the silence. Ryan cried out for his "Momma", causing Carmen to bite down on her lip. It was all she could do not to cry.

**AN: Please R&R, thank you for taking the time to read. I hope it's going to get a little more interesting now.**


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